Photo: Damon Winter/The New York Times; Video: By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Basking in the glow of his Super Tuesday primary victories, an ebullient Donald Trump made his final appearance of the day in an ornate ballroom in his oceanfront Palm Beach home and vowed that he would be “a great president for the world.”

“This has been an amazing evening,” Mr. Trump said, going on to congratulate Senator Ted Cruz for his victory in Texas and calling Senator Marco Rubio a “little senator” whose recent broadsides against the New York businessman resembled a stand-up routine by the comedian Don Rickles.

Mr. Trump said that the forces arrayed against him in his own party would shower Mr. Rubio with millions of dollars in an effort to stop his march to the nomination, “but he’s not going to win anyway.”

It was clear from Mr. Trump’s remarks that he was making at least a token attempt at being conciliatory, particularly in the wake of accusations that his style is almost relentlessly divisive.

“I’m a unifier,” he told the crowd in the Small Ballroom, lit by three enormous chandeliers. “I know people are going to find that a little hard to believe.”

Shortly afterward, in response to a question about his views on Planned Parenthood, he said he was a “common-sense conservative,” noting that his only opposition to the organization lies in the fact that it provides abortions.

Mr. Trump noted also that he gives equal time to the three primary cable news networks, CNN, Fox News and MSNBC. “See?” he said. “I’m becoming diplomatic.”

Launching into a familiar tirade against politicians in general, calling them essentially all talk and no action, Mr. Trump seemed to catch himself by remembering that Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey — who had introduced him — was standing right behind him. “Well, not Chris,” he said.

Mr. Trump’s 115-room mansion, Mar-a-Lago, the grandest of Palm Beach’s stately homes, was built by the cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post on 17 acres in 1927. Mr. Trump purchased it in 1985, and a decade later turned it into a members-only country club.

On Tuesday night, Mr. Trump spoke from a small stage on which piano recitals and other forms of entertainment were performed in the glamorous days of Mrs. Post, once the wealthiest woman in the United States. Behind him stood 10 American flags, with a backdrop lighted in pink, peach and pale blue.

In the two front rows were friends and supporters of Mr. Trump’s, some of them members of a supporters’ group called The Trumpettes. The rest of the ornate Small Ballroom, with gold-leaf accents on the walls, columns and ceilings, was filled with reporters, television camera operators and photographers. Members of the public were not invited, so the occasion lacked much of the euphoria common to primary-night victory speeches, in which giddy supporters whoop and holler at the candidate’s every utterance.

Photo: Stephen Crowley/The New York Times; Video: By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

STAFFORD, Tex. — Senator Ted Cruz, reveling in a home-state victory and another win in Oklahoma, suggested on Tuesday evening that the time had come for Republicans to unite behind him if they hoped to stop Donald J. Trump.

“Candidates who have not yet won a state, who have not racked up significant delegates, I ask you to prayerfully consider our coming together, uniting,” Mr. Cruz told supporters here at the Redneck Country Club.

The message seemed directed particularly at Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who is vying with Mr. Cruz to emerge as the chief alternative to Mr. Trump. (Mr. Rubio had not won a state but was leading the Minnesota caucuses with about half of the results tallied.)

Even before Tuesday night, Mr. Cruz had made the case that he was the only candidate who had beaten — and could beat — Mr. Trump. The night’s results quickly amplified this message in a victory speech aimed squarely at those seeking to take down Mr. Trump.

“Tomorrow morning, we have a choice,” Mr. Cruz said. “So long as the field remains divided, Donald Trump’s path to the nomination remains more likely. And that will be a disaster for Republicans.”

Speaking to raucous admirers, who had held beers high all night as country music played inside the bar, Mr. Cruz ripped into Mr. Trump from start to finish, assailing his history of left-leaning positions, warning of his penchant for deal-making and suggesting that his hard-line immigration positions were insincere.

Mr. Cruz even raised the issue of Mr. Trump’s vulgarity. “America shouldn’t have a president whose words would make you embarrassed if your children repeated them,” he said.

Though Mr. Cruz’s delegate haul paled in comparison to his once-lofty “Super Tuesday” ambitions for a sweep across the South, the evening seemed likely to deliver a needed jolt to his campaign.

Mr. Cruz was viewed as the favorite in Texas, but his campaign was fretful enough to spend precious time campaigning here in recent days when it could have been chasing votes across the Super Tuesday map.

As Mr. Cruz prepared to take the stage, his team’s catharsis was hard to miss.

JACKSON, Miss. — After playing down the importance of Tuesday’s primaries, Gov. John Kasich of Ohio put a positive spin on the results in a few favorable states on Tuesday night.

He also projected confidence about future nominating contests, saying he expected to benefit from “home-court advantage” in Michigan next week, and Ohio the week after.

“Tonight I can say that we have absolutely exceeded expectations,” Mr. Kasich told a crowd gathered at a hotel here, moments after speaking at a Republican Party dinner in a nearby ballroom.

“We are running, right now, neck and neck with Donald Trump in the state of Vermont,” Mr. Kasich said, adding, “And that’s not exactly my home.”

He also cited his performance in Massachusetts, saying he was effectively tied for second, and in Virginia, where he said he would pick up delegates.

Though Mr. Kasich has faced pressure to leave the race, he has vowed to press onward, and he spoke hopefully about primaries in the next two weeks, including here in Mississippi next week and in the Midwest.

“We’re heading north, right on to my home court,” Mr. Kasich said, mentioning Michigan and pledging, once again, that he will beat Mr. Trump in Ohio.

Mr. Kasich suggested that his approach to the campaign, avoiding the kinds of attacks that have been pervasive in the race, was being embraced.

“What’s happening is people do want to hear something that’s positive,” he said. “They just don’t want to spend their time watching people insult one another back and forth.”

Earlier in the evening, at the Republican Party dinner, Mr. Kasich said he would not change his ways.

“I’m not engaging in personal attacks, name-calling or mud-slinging,” he said, drawing applause. “I would rather lose than to engage in these underhanded tactics that lower the bar in American politics today.”

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. — About 5,000 people came out for the Democratic caucuses at a high school here, a turnout so high that coordinators were short about 1,500 ballots.

A volunteer had brought a copy machine in case that happened. But then paper ran out, so someone went out to buy more. In the end, volunteers printed some ballots on the backs of caucus instructions.

The votes had not been fully tabulated as of 9 p.m., but the results were expected to be close.

Sarah Thompson, 36, a South St. Paul resident who is unemployed, left the caucus triumphantly, carrying her Sanders sign and reporting that in her precinct, one of several caucusing at the high school, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont had beaten Hillary Clinton, 99 to 67.

“I think he could save this country,” Ms. Thompson said. “I think he’s the only one. I think Hillary will be more of the same because as far as I know, her biggest contributor is Wall Street. She’s flip-flopped even on gay marriage. I don’t believe a word she says.”

Don Crannell, 88, a retired Presbyterian minister from Inver Grove Heights, cast his vote for Mrs. Clinton. “God help me, if anybody can beat Trump, it’d be her,” he said.

“I’d be happier if she could project her enthusiasm in a positive way,” he added. “But who’s a perfect candidate, for crying out loud? She’s got the experience. She’s a professional.”

Tamar Grimm, 37, a rabbi from Mendota Heights, also supported Mrs. Clinton, who won her precinct by fewer than 10 votes. Eight years ago, Ms. Grimm supported Barack Obama, who may have sparked more excitement among idealistic voters, including herself, but that was a different political climate, she said.

“Then, I was desperate for change, now I’m passionate,” she said. “But it doesn’t feel as dramatic.”

Ms. Grimm sees Mrs. Clinton as someone who can continue — and improve upon — the good work of President Obama, such as the Affordable Care Act.

“I hope she could take that some steps forward,” Ms. Grimm said. “I feel like that didn’t go as far as he would’ve liked. He had to make some concessions.”

10:02 PM ET2016-03-02T03:22:12+00:00

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Madison Albrecht, 19, checked primary results on her laptop while watching Fox News at a bar in Austin with friends from three University of Texas Republican groups: Austin Millennials for Ted Cruz, Young Republicans of Texas and the College Republicans.CreditIlana Panich-Linsman for The New York Times

Photo: Damon Winter/The New York Times; Video: By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey is awkwardly adapting to a new role: Donald J. Trump’s yes man.

During Mr. Trump’s victory news conference on Tuesday night in Florida, Mr. Christie stood behind him during the business mogul’s entire speech, offering the constant nods, a gaze of admiration and unrelenting affirmation usually reserved for a political spouse.

Mr. Christie smiled. He clapped. He called him, deferentially, Mr. Trump. He fawningly declared that Mr. Trump’s candidacy was “not a campaign. It’s a movement.” He enthused about the billionaire’s “Super Tuesday” victories, calling them “important for our country.”

It was an arresting image, far from Mr. Christie’s original vision of himself as this stage of the Republican presidential contest: as a nominee, not a sidekick.

But he is embracing the job with gusto.

When Mr. Trump explained the exodus of jobs from states like New Jersey, Mr. Christie’s face broke into a mischievous and somewhat embarrassed smile. He mouthed the word “no,” but quickly returned to smiling.

“Chris,” Mr. Trump said, “understands the problem.”

For the next 20 minutes, Mr. Christie stood ramrod straight, tie askew, just off to the side, taking it all in.

Mr. Christie did not appear fully comfortable, perhaps unsure of whether he should remain onstage. But remain he did, effectively taking the place of Mr. Trump’s entire family, who did not appear in the television frame.

That privilege was reserved for Mr. Trump and his new constant companion.

Alan Rappeport contributed reporting.

9:41 PM ET2016-03-02T02:46:21+00:00Photo

Donald J. Trump spoke on Tuesday night at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla.CreditDamon Winter/The New York Times

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. — More than 100 people crowded into a classroom at a public high school in this St. Paul suburb, where many longtime Republicans said they were participating in their first caucus. Some said they were compelled to caucus by Donald J. Trump, while others cited the general buzz of a crazy campaign for bringing them out Tuesday night. Senator Ted Cruz edged out Mr. Trump, 40 votes to 33.

The precinct volunteer leading the gathering said that the biggest turnout he had seen before tonight was 24 people.

“It’s exciting,” Diane Anderson, 51, a longtime Republican supporting Mr. Trump in her first caucus, said as she waited in line to enter the classroom. “He says things that I wish I could say, but I’m too afraid,” Ms. Anderson said.

In particular, she said, she believes he can tackle widespread corruption — among both politicians and regular citizens. “I’m a landlord, so I see people take advantage of government funding,” she said. “It’s ridiculous.”

Greg Lorch, 65, a general contractor who had never been to a caucus, said he was drawn to Mr. Cruz’s principles. “He’s a constitutionalist. I believe in history. We learn from history. I don’t want to lose that for my grandchildren,” Mr. Lorch said.

Although he said he hoped to give Mr. Cruz a boost, he added that he was not voting against Mr. Trump, per se. “I think he’s a Kardashian in disguise,” Mr. Lorch said.

And yet, if Mr. Trump gets the party nomination, Mr. Lorch said he would vote for him in November.

Denise Olsen, 53, a director of tourism and a first-time caucusgoer, cast her vote for Senator Marco Rubio. She said she had been swept up by a chaotic campaign and wanted to support a solid candidate, “the medium between extremes.”

“He’s young, and he doesn’t have the experience,” she said of Mr. Rubio. “But I trust his judgment.”

That doesn’t mean she rules out Mr. Trump. “Trump is the wild card, crazy. I like him. But I’m not sure he’s the man for our country,” Ms. Olsen said.

Results were announced at 7:45 p.m.: 40 votes for Mr. Cruz, 33 for Mr. Trump, 27 for Mr. Rubio, 11 for Gov. John Kasich and seven for Ben Carson.

There was one write-in vote for John Galt, a character in Ayn Rand’s novel “Atlas Shrugged.”

Senator Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott attended a campaign event in Houston on Feb. 24.CreditEric Thayer for The New York Times

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas prevailed in his home state’s Republican primary on Tuesday, turning back a challenge from Donald J. Trump to avert what would have been a disastrous defeat. He also won in neighboring Oklahoma.

Hillary Clinton won the Democratic contest in Texas, relying largely on black and Hispanic voters.

Though Mr. Cruz was viewed as the favorite in Texas on the Republican side, his campaign was concerned enough about the outcome to spend precious time campaigning there in recent days when it could have been chasing votes across the Super Tuesday map.

Still, the victory provided a needed lift to Mr. Cruz’s delegate count, and a powerful argument against the other Republicans chasing Mr. Trump: Mr. Cruz is the one who has actually beaten him — in Texas and in Iowa.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Cruz sought to turn up the pressure on Senator Marco Rubio, whose own home state, Florida, votes March 15.

“There is no doubt that any candidate who cannot win his home state has real problems,” Mr. Cruz said.

Texas was not a total loss for Mr. Cruz’s rivals in the race for delegates. Because he failed to secure 50 percent of the vote, the state’s 155 delegates will be divided proportionally.

Mr. Rubio’s surprising strength in Virginia was driven in large part by support from wealthier, highly educated voters with more moderate political views who live in the Washington suburbs.

In contrast, Mr. Trump’s support relies more heavily on less-educated, lower-income, rural voters with conservative views, particularly on social issues such as immigration.

While less-educated voters made up a smaller portion of the electorate, Mr. Trump continued to dominate the field among this group. Among those with a high school diploma or less, Mr. Trump won almost half of all votes.

On issues, Mr. Rubio’s best showing was among voters focused on the economy. Mr. Trump did about equally well across all issues.

Nearly two-thirds of Virginia voters said they supported barring non-citizen Muslims from entering the United States. Mr. Trump won more than four in 10 of these voters, while Mr. Rubio won half of all voters who did not support a ban.

In terms of candidate qualities, a majority of those voters who were concerned with electability sided with Mr. Rubio. Those wanting a candidate who tells it like it is sided with Mr. Trump.

8:43 PM ET2016-03-02T02:09:00+00:00

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Supporters of Senator Marco Rubio attended a rally on Tuesday night at the Ronald Reagan Equestrian Center in Miami.CreditEric Thayer for The New York Times

Donald J. Trump and Senator Marco Rubio were locked in a battle for first and second place in the Virginia Republican primary on Tuesday, according to the exit poll by Edison Research of voters leaving balloting locations across the state.

Mr. Trump was supported by men, voters without college degrees, lower-income voters, very conservative voters, evangelicals, small-town and rural voters. He was also favored by those who prioritize “telling it like it is” and “bringing needed change.” He won plurality support from those who would deport illegal immigrants and bar Muslims who are not citizens. Likewise he was supported by those angry with the federal government and those who want a candidate from outside the political establishment.

Mr. Rubio won support from women, college graduates, higher-income voters, moderates, late deciders, and residents of the Washington suburbs. He was also favored by those who prioritized wining in November and experience in politics. He was also supported by those who opposed barring Muslims who are not citizens and by those who favor giving illegal immigrants a chance for legal status.

Donald J. Trump spoke at a campaign rally at Madison City Schools Stadium in Madison, Ala., on Feb. 28.CreditKirsten Luce for The New York Times

Donald J. Trump added Alabama, Massachusetts and Tennessee to his list of primary wins, exhibiting strong appeal in the South and also a traditionally liberal part of the Northeast.

Mr. Trump targeted Alabama early in his campaign. Polls this week indicated that the Manhattan businessman was doing well with evangelical Christians, a voting bloc that was expected to favor Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.

Mr. Trump also had expected to do well in Massachusetts, after his strong showing in nearby New Hampshire last month and attracting large crowds there. His populist message resonated with working-class voters in the state’s smaller cities and towns.

Massachusetts officials, citing the “Trump phenomenon,” said this week that thousands of Democrats became Republicans or independents in order to vote in Tuesday’s primary.

7:45 PM ET2016-03-02T00:53:47+00:00

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Van Mosley, 8, waited in line at a concession stand on Tuesday before watching Senator Bernie Sanders at the Champlain Valley Exposition center in Essex Junction, Vt.CreditHilary Swift for The New York Times

Donald J. Trump won the Republican primary in Georgia on Tuesday, securing a resounding victory in a delegate-rich Southern state.

Mr. Trump’s promises to revive the economy by renegotiating trade deals and punishing companies that move their operations overseas resonated in this conservative state. The results were a blow to Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who had expected to do well in the South, and Senator Marco Rubio, who is from neighboring Florida.

Mr. Trump campaigned aggressively in Georgia, spending Monday at a rally in Valdosta, where he stressed his message that he would help America start winning again.

Early returns from Virginia indicate Senator Marco Rubio is locked in a tight race with Donald J. Trump in a state with more moderate Republicans than in the Deep South.

Since all 49 of Virginia’s delegates are awarded proportionally based on the statewide vote, with no minimum threshold, Mr. Rubio could pick up a healthy share, even if he finishes second.

The returns show Senator Ted Cruz with only about half of Mr. Rubio’s support, followed by Gov. John Kasich and Ben Carson. But all can expect to pick up a few delegates.

The Rubio campaign was well aware of its potential to capture delegates in Virginia, and the Mr. Rubio aggressively courted voters in the well-educated, affluent suburbs and exurbs in the northern counties outside Washington.

Although Mr. Rubio’s advisers hoped for a victory in Virginia, even a close second will provide fodder for them to say the Florida senator cannot be written off, despite any poor showings elsewhere.

Gov. John Kasich of Ohio spoke at a town hall event on Monday at the George Mason University School of Law in Arlington, Va.CreditGabriella Demczuk for The New York Times

Gov. John Kasich of Ohio is not expected to have much of a showing on Tuesday. But he insists that the results will not be a setback for him, even though he is already facing pressure to call it quits.

“We never thought that ‘Super Tuesday’ was going to be some big deal in our plan,” he told reporters in Arlington, Va., where he campaigned on Tuesday.

Mr. Kasich is not likely to fare well in most of the states with nominating contests on Tuesday, though he has hoped for a promising outcome in a handful of them, including Vermont and Massachusetts.

He is expected to spend Tuesday evening in a state that is not even voting — Mississippi, where he was scheduled to speak at a Republican Party dinner in Jackson, and whose primary is a week from now.

Mr. Kasich reiterated that he will win his home state, which votes March 15. “When we win Ohio,” he told reporters, “it’ll be a whole new day in this business.”

And he signaled to voters in Virginia that he did not intend to depart from his attack-free style, particularly when it comes to Donald J. Trump.

“You will not beat Donald Trump by insulting him,” Mr. Kasich said, “because all you do is enrage his supporters and make them even more firmly committed because of personal insulting attacks. That is not how you win.”

“You know how you win?” he asked. “You win by being patient, being calm and waiting for that moment — waiting for that moment — and I hope that it comes.”

7:11 PM ET2016-03-02T02:28:38+00:00

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Debra Nicholson, 68, left, and Shaquna Nicholson, 42, called voters on behalf of the Clinton campaign on Monday night from a phone bank at a home in Richmond, Va.CreditVictor J. Blue for The New York Times

Photo: Kevin D. Liles for The New York Times Clark Atlanta University not Clark University; Video: By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary election in Virginia on Tuesday, while Senator Bernie Sanders won the primary in his home state, Vermont, topping Mrs. Clinton in a contest he could not afford to lose.

Mrs. Clinton, who was expected to fare well in the Southern states after she beat Mr. Sanders by a landslide on Saturday in South Carolina, secured a victory in a state that she lost to Barack Obama eight years ago.

Vermont, where Mr. Sanders has been a lawmaker for decades, appeared to be a rare bright spot in a challenging Super Tuesday, as Mrs. Clinton was set to rack up delegates in a swath of Southern states.

With its large population of white, progressive voters, Vermont remained friendly terrain for Mr. Sanders

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Sanders arrived at a Burlington polling location with his wife and spent time talking to voters and taking selfies with them.

“I will tell you after a lot of thought, I voted for me for president,” Mr. Sanders said.

A “super PAC” that was formed with a major donation from a member of the Ricketts family is boosting its staff and planning a full-fledged campaign against Donald J. Trump — and his surrogates — in an effort to thwart his rise, including hiring the former communications director to Jeb Bush and creating an opposition research wing.

Tim Miller, who was Mr. Bush’s top spokesman during his presidential run, will now work for Our Principles PAC, the group founded in the final weeks before the Iowa caucuses to try to prevent Mr. Trump from winning the nomination, according to officials with the group.

With additional funding from sources other than Marlene Ricketts, the group is planning to focus on daily opposition research attacks on Mr. Trump, particularly in March 8 and March 15 states, officials with the group said.

Among their new tasks is attacking not just Mr. Trump but also his high-profile supporters, such as Gov. Chris Christie. And there will be additional focus on Mr. Trump’s words and business record, according to officials with the group. A new video will feature Mr. Trump’s refusal on Sunday to disavow the former Ku Klux Klan official David Duke.

“A K.K.K. sympathizer who screwed over regular people to enrich himself isn’t going to win the White House. Donald’s general election campaign will fail worse than Trump Mortgage and Trump Steaks did and Hillary Clinton will destroy him even if she is campaigning from jail. We will fight until the last delegate is counted to stop that from happening,” Mr. Miller said in a statement.

More than a third of Virginia Republicans are looking for a candidate who can bring needed change, according to early results from exit polls conducted by Edison Research.

This bodes well for Donald J. Trump, who in previous contests has been handily beating his rivals among voters rating this as their top candidate quality. It also represents a departure from all four previous primary and caucus states, in which having a candidate who “shares my values” was the most popular candidate quality — a quality especially prized by supporters of Senator Ted Cruz. In Virginia, this quality appears to have slipped to the No. 2 ranking, chosen by one in three voters.

The desire for change fits with the overall mood of the electorate in Virginia, where nearly nine out of 10 voters said they were either dissatisfied or angry with the way the federal government is working. It is also reflected in the fact that more voters said they want a president who is outside the political establishment than one with experience in politics.

The top issue concern for voters in Virginia was the economy and jobs, selected by nearly half of all voters. No other issue was selected by more than one-quarter of respondents.

Virginia’s Republican primary electorate is less conservative than three out of the four states that have voted previously this year, with New Hampshire as the one exception. This is partly explained by the fact that Virginia has open primaries, allowing voters to participate without having to be registered with the party. About a third of those exiting the polls in the Republican primary said they do not identify themselves as Republicans.

When voters were asked if they would be satisfied or unsatisfied with each of the top three candidates as the party’s nominee, the only candidate whom a majority of voters said they would be satisfied with was Senator Marco Rubio. Only about four in 10 voters said they would be satisfied with Mr. Trump or Mr. Cruz as the nominee.

No sooner had we got used to the idea of there being only eight planets in our solar system, after Pluto was demoted to « dwarf » status, astronomers have gone and found a new hidden planet that’s at least 10 times more massive than Earth.

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have found evidence in the outer solar system of an object that could be a real ninth planet.

Archbishop to lead task force on Anglican communion riftWelby set a news conference back in Friday in Canterbury to elaborate more why the leaders arrived in such sanction . Ordained Anglicans within the Church of England have taken to Twitter to proclaim their dismay at the result.

« We realized that most of these objects beyond Neptune and beyond Pluto, they all go around the sun and they’re all sort of pointing off in different directions », said Brown.

Brown and Batygin at first reacted skeptically that they’d discovered a planet, but over time it became clear the existence of a ninth planet was the only logical explanation for such singular orbits. « What we have found is a gravitational signature of Planet 9 lurking in the outskirts of the solar system ». Clearing the neighborhood around the orbit means that the planet must be gravitationally dominant in its orbit, without any other bodies of comparable size other than its own satellites or those otherwise under its gravitational influence. In 1905, Percival Lowell predicted a Planet X existed beyond Neptune; his calculations actually led to the discovery of Pluto, which was too small to be what Lowell suspected. The researchers cite how KBOs – Kuiper Belt Objects, that is – move about, indicating something big like Planet Nine may exist. Brown and astronomer Konstantin Batygin, also at Caltech, initially were sceptical that such a large planet would have eluded detection. « We know the orbit, but we don’t know where in the orbit it is ».

At such distances, the planet could be impossible to spot – even with the two huge telescopes that are now looking for it. So little light is sent back from that far away that it might never make it back for us to see.

They estimate that this yet-to-be-observed planet is anywhere from five to 10 times larger than Earth, which would make it the fifth largest planet in the solar system.

The object, nicknamed Planet Nine, orbits about 20 times farther from the Sun on average than Neptune.

The researchers hope the announcement may inspire people to start searching the skies for Planet Nine.

A Dark Souls comic series is coming this April, praise the sunThe writer also claims to be a big fan of the video games, which should reassure fans who are curious about the title’s quality. Sensible; the canonical story of Dark Souls , as far as I’m concerned, includes about 400 pages of being beaten up by one boss.

Not Pluto: Scientists say they have ‘good evidence’ for a ninth planet in the solar system

Cape Canaveral: Scientists reported on Wednesday they finally have « good evidence » for Planet X, a true ninth planet on the fringes of our solar system.

The gas giant is thought to be almost as big as Neptune and orbiting billions of miles beyond Neptune’s path, distant enough to take 10,000 to 20,000 years to circle the sun.

This Planet 9, as the two California Institute of Technology researchers call it, hasn’t been spotted yet. They base their findings on mathematical and computer modelling, and anticipate its discovery via telescope within five years or less.
This artist’s concept illustration courtesy of Caltech/Robert Hurt shows a distant view from Planet Nine back towards the sun. AFP

The two reported on their research on Wednesday in the Astronomical Journal because they want people to help them look for it.

« We could have stayed quiet and quietly spent the next five years searching the skies ourselves and hoping to find it. But I would rather somebody find it sooner, than me find it later, » astronomer Mike Brown told The Associated Press.

« I want to see it. I want to see what it looks like. I want to understand where it is, and I think this will help. »

Once it’s detected, Brown insists there will be no Pluto-style planetary debate. Brown ought to know; he’s the so-called Pluto killer who helped lead the charge against Pluto’s planetary status in 2006. (It’s now officially considered a dwarf planet.)

His colleague in this latest Planet 9 report, also from Caltech in Pasadena, is planetary scientist Konstantin Batygin.

« For the first time in more than 150 years, there’s good evidence that the planetary census of the solar system is incomplete, » Batygin said, referring to Neptune’s discovery as Planet 8.

The two based their findings on the fact that six objects in the icy Kuiper Belt, or Twilight Zone on the far reaches of the solar system, appear to be influenced by only one thing: a real planet.

Brown actually discovered one of these six objects more than a decade ago, Sedna, a large minor planet way out there on the solar system frontier.

« This is a prediction. What we have found is a gravitational signature of Planet 9 lurking in the outskirts of the solar system,’ Batygin said. « We have not found the object itself, » he stressed, adding that the actual discovery when it happens will be « era-defining. »

Added Brown: « We have felt a great disturbance in the force. » Depending on where this Planet 9 is in its egg-shaped orbit, a space telescope may be needed to confirm its presence, the researchers said.

Or good backyard telescopes may spot it, they noted, if the planet is relatively closer to us in its swing around the sun. It’s an estimated 20 billion to 100 billion miles from us.

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